Bullpen Report: August 12, 2020

The 2020 version of Bullpen Report includes six different sections, as well as the closer chart, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

  1. Notable Workloads: Primary closers or valuable members of a closer committee who have been deemed unavailable or likely unavailable for the current day due to recent workload.
  2. Injury News 
  3. Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
  4. Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
  5. Losing A Grip: Struggling closers who could be on the hot seat.
  6. Reliever On The Rise: Non-closer who is quickly moving up the depth chart based on potential and recent performance.

The “RosterResource” link will take you to the corresponding team’s RosterResource depth chart, which will give you a better picture of the full bullpen and results of the previous six days (pitch count, save, hold, win, loss, blown save.)

Notable Workloads

Cole Sulser, BAL: 28 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

In addition to the high pitch count, Sulser blew his second save of the season on Tuesday. It might be a good time to give Mychal Givens (13 pitches on Tuesday) his first save chance of the season on Wednesday.

Ryan Pressly, HOU: Back-to-back days; 26 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Blake Taylor (10 pitches on Tuesday) and Andre Scrubb (23 pitches on Tuesday) are candidates for a save chance on Wednesday.

Taylor Rogers, MIN: Back-to-back days; 23 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Rogers is usually good for three straight days, but Sergio Romo is more likely for a save chance on Wednesday.

Hector Neris, PHI: 28 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Neris hadn’t pitched in four days before throwing 28 pitches on Tuesday, so he still might be available on Wednesday. If not, it’s possible that Adam Morgan or Blake Parker get a save chance.

Anthony Bass, TOR: 31 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Bass hadn’t thrown more than 17 pitches in any of his previous six appearances in 2020. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s available after a 31-pitch day, but Jordan Romano (9 pitches on Tuesday), Rafael Dolis (8 pitches on Tuesday), and Ryan Borucki (last pitched on Sunday) are options for a save chance if he’s not.

 

Injury News

Aroldis Chapman, NYY | RosterResource

Chapman is getting closer to making his 2020 debut, although the first place Yankees aren’t likely to rush their 32-year-old closer. There should be an update coming from the team now he’s thrown his first simulated game.

 

Outlier Saves

Travis Lakins Sr., BAL | RosterResource

With two men on base, two out, and a one-run lead in the top of the tenth, Lakins was brought in to face Rhys Hoskins. The 26-year-old, making his 24th career big league appearance, picked up his first save when Hoskins grounded out to end the game. He was the eighth pitcher used by the Orioles, who blew a 5-3 lead in the eighth and an 8-6 lead in the ninth before finally hanging on for a 10-9 win in extra innings.

Daniel Bard, COL | RosterResource

After taking an 8-2 lead with six runs in the bottom of the eighth, the Rockies turned to rookie left-hander Phillip Diehl in the ninth. After retiring the leadoff man, he allowed a run on three consecutive hits before manager Bud Black went to closer Jairo Diaz to bail him out. But Diaz also needed bailing out after allowing the Diamondbacks to close the gap to 8-7. With two outs, Bard was brought in to face Stephen Vogt, who struck out looking to end the game. It was the 35-year-old Bard’s sixth career save, coming more than nine years since his fifth career save.

Tyler Rogers, SFG | RosterResource

Closer Trevor Gott pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to preserve a 6-6 tie and send the game to extra innings. When the Giants took a 7-6 lead in the top of the tenth, it was Rogers who came in to close out the win over the Astros for his first career save.

 

Committee Clarity

Cole Sulser, Miguel Castro, and Mychal Givens, BAL | RosterResource

Suler and Castro each blew leads on Tuesday, while Givens pitched a scoreless seventh for his second hold. The 30-year-old Givens, who had 11 saves in 2019, has pitched five scoreless innings and struck out eight batters. There has been no indication that he’s part of the closer’s mix, other than he is the lone Orioles’ reliever with a track record.

Edwin Diaz, NYM | RosterResource

Another non-save outing for Diaz on Tuesday resulted in another scoreless inning, his fifth in a row. While the Mets have trailed in all but one of those games, none have been out of reach. On Tuesday, he pitched the top of the ninth (2 K, H) against the Nationals with his team losing 2-1. There is little doubt that he’s returned to the top of the depth chart, along with Seth Lugo.

 

Losing A Grip

Ryan Pressly, HOU | RosterResource

Pitching back-to-back scoreless outings (8/7 and 8/10) was an encouraging sign for Pressly, who struggled in his first two appearances after elbow discomfort kept him out of action to begin the season. But his first attempt at pitching back-to-back days did not go well as he blew a 6-5 lead (IP, ER, 2 H, BB) over the Giants on Tuesday.

If the 31-year-old Pressly is healthy, the Astros aren’t likely to make a change yet because there are not enough reliable alternatives. Fernando Rodney, who just began facing live hitters at the team’s alternate site, could give them an experienced option in the near future. Shaking things up in the immediate future, however, could mean moving Pressly back to a setup role and using some sort of committee to close out games. Scrubb and Taylor would almost certainly be in that mix.

 

Reliever On The Rise

Devin Williams, MIL | RosterResource

With Corey Knebel still nowhere near his pre-Tommy John surgery form and the talented duo of Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta both currently being used in a piggyback role, the Brewers are short on options to bridge the gap to closer Josh Hader. But 25-year-old rookie Devin Williams has shown signs of being able to fill that void.

Pitching out of the bullpen for the first time in 2019, Williams began the season in Double-A and quickly made his way to the majors by early August. Now, he’s getting an opportunity to prove that he’s in the big leagues to stay. Through his first six appearances of 2020, he’s allowed one earned run in 6.1 innings with four walks and twelve strikeouts.

While most of the standout relievers who are recognized in this section get by with a fastball and breaking ball combination, Williams relies on an upper-nineties fastball that he complements with a mid-eighties changeup. That changeup has been getting some rave reviews on Twitter …

https://twitter.com/baseball7310/status/1287940116854579200

 

Not Very Stable
Hot Seat
Committee
Bullpen Report — 8/11/2020
Team Closer First Up Second Up Injured List
ARI Archie Bradley Junior Guerra Andrew Chafin
ATL Mark Melancon Will Smith Shane Greene
BAL Cole Sulser Miguel Castro Mychal Givens Hunter Harvey
BOS Brandon Workman Matt Barnes Austin Brice
CHC Rowan Wick Jeremy Jeffress Kyle Ryan
CWS Alex Colome Evan Marshall Jimmy Cordero Aaron Bummer
CIN Raisel Iglesias Amir Garrett Nate Jones
CLE Brad Hand James Karinchak Nick Wittgren
COL Jairo Diaz Carlos Estevez Daniel Bard Wade Davis
DET Joe Jimenez Gregory Soto Jose Cisnero Buck Farmer
HOU Ryan Pressly Blake Taylor Josh James Roberto Osuna
KC Trevor Rosenthal Scott Barlow Josh Staumont
LAA Ty Buttrey Felix Peña Keynan Middleton
LAD Kenley Jansen Blake Treinen Pedro Baez
MIA Brandon Kintzler Brad Boxberger Nick Vincent Richard Bleier
MIL Josh Hader Devin Williams Corey Knebel
MIN Taylor Rogers Sergio Romo Trevor May
NYM Edwin Diaz Seth Lugo Justin Wilson
NYY Zack Britton Adam Ottavino Chad Green Aroldis Chapman
OAK Liam Hendriks Joakim Soria Yusmeiro Petit
PHI Hector Neris Tommy Hunter Adam Morgan David Robertson
PIT Richard Rodriguez Chris Stratton Geoff Hartlieb Keone Kela
STL Giovanny Gallegos Andrew Miller John Gant Ryan Helsley
SD Kirby Yates Drew Pomeranz Emilio Pagan
SF Trevor Gott Tony Watson Tyler Rogers Reyes Moronta
SEA Taylor Williams Dan Altavilla Matt Magill Austin Adams
TB Nick Anderson Jose Alvarado Diego Castillo
TEX Rafael Montero Jonathan Hernandez Joely Rodriguez Jose LeClerc
TOR Anthony Bass Jordan Romano Rafael Dolis Ken Giles
WSH Daniel Hudson Tanner Rainey Javy Guerra Will Harris





12 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Kawasaki Home Runmember since 2016
4 years ago

in the year 2020, we scout for all-star closers by climbing trees in Scranton

cartermember since 2020
4 years ago

Are we sure that he just jumps back into the roll, or does some low leverage appearances first? Britton has been good, I’d imagine its closer to midseason when Chapman gets first save, no?